Years of service 1944–1981 Battles/wars Vietnam War Rank General officer | Name Alton Slay Battles and wars Vietnam War | |
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Born November 11, 1924
Crystal Springs, Mississippi ( 1924-11-11 ) Commands held Air Force Systems Command Died November 15, 2015, Warrenton, Virginia, United States Education George Washington University | ||
Service/branch United States Air Force Allegiance United States of America | ||
General Alton Davis Slay, Sr. (November 11, 1924 – November 16, 2015) was a four star United States Air Force general and former commander, Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
Slay was a native of Crystal Springs, Mississippi. He was a command pilot with more than 8,000 flying hours, principally in single-engine and jet fighter aircraft, accumulated since his graduation from flying school at Craig Field, Alabama, in 1944. He flew 181 combat missions over Southeast Asia in jet fighters. He is a graduate of the Navy Parachutist School and wears the Senior Air Force Parachutist Badge and the Senior Missileman Badge.
Slay is a 1965 graduate of George Washington University at Washington, D.C., with a degree in mathematics; the Harvard University Advanced Management Program; and the Canadian National Defence College.
His assignments included deputy chief of staff, research and development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., vice commander of the Air Training Command, San Antonio, Texas; commander of the Lowry Technical Training Command, Denver; deputy chief of staff, operations, Seventh Air Force, in Southeast Asia; director of operations, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; deputy chief of staff, operations, Air Force Systems Command; commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California; and assistant deputy chief of staff, plans and operations, U.S. Air Forces in Europe. He assumed command of Systems Command in March 1978, and was promoted to four star rank on April 1, 1978. Slay retired from the Air Force on January 31, 1981.
In 2005, Slay won four gold medals at the National Senior Games in cycling. As of 2007, at age 83, he was still competing in the Senior Games cycling events. He resided in Warrenton, Virginia until he died of blood cancer on November 16, 2015, 5 days after his 91st birthday.